Probe finds no political conspiracy against Mdluli

In another blow to the credibility of former head of crime intelligence Richard Mdluli, a task team investigating allegations that he is the victim of a political conspiracy by his senior police colleagues has rejected his claims.

The team was appointed by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa on May 11 to probe allegations made in a letter written by General Mdluli and addressed to President Jacob Zuma.

The letter alluded to a conspiracy against Mdluli and named former national police commissioner General Bheki Cele, head of the Hawks Lieutenant General Anwa Dramat, operational services head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya and Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros as ganging up against him.

Announcing the task team, Mthethwa said the allegations were serious and suggested “the meddling of policing functions in politics”.

However, the task team, led by chief state law adviser Enver Daniels, has found no evidence suggesting that the senior police officials were involved in any kind of conspiracy against Mdluli, according to a statement released by Mthethwa’s office on Thursday.

Acted professionally
“The conclusion and findings are that the officials accused by Mdluli of working together against him had acted professionally, in good faith and with due care and regard for the sensitivity of the matter. The team concluded that the source who gave Mdluli such information could not corroborate its information,” the statement said.

According to spokesperson Zweli Mnisi, Mthethwa would not be releasing the report.

He said the task team established that the letter was received by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The team found that neither the president nor the minister received the letter.

Asked what action the minister would take, given that Mdluli had made unfounded allegations against senior colleagues, Mnisi said: “The mandate of the task team was to investigate if there was conspiracy. In the absence of it, the matter is closed. The focus is therefore a ­commitment by the management to work together in fighting crime.”

Mdluli has been interdicted from working as a policeman, pending a high court review of decisions to withdraw charges against him and reinstate him.

The M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism (amaBhungane) produced this story. All views are ours. See www.amabhungane.co.za for our stories, activities and funding sources.